More Than a Mom-Droid:Letting Children See Your Soul

It’s important to me that my kids realize I am a woman with depth and not just a Mom-droid. I do my best to remind them of my humanity by weaving stories of my childhood with their present-day preoccupations. I’ve told them how I once lived and dreamed all on my own in Chicago. They’ve seen me fall apart when I’ve had too many days without me time. Yet, there are days when I feel insignificant because they look at me and see an automaton with spending abilities, cooking skills and a driver’s license.

Conversely, I study their psyches and souls with intensity. I constantly puzzle over and decipher their emotions. I am invested in the well-being of my children. I believe in the power of meaningful parent/child relationships. I believe they are built on a mutual honoring of our spirits and steadfast championing rather than schedule maintenance, homework policing and suburban schlepping.

Moms Are People Too

Moms are women in the midst of self-actualizing. It is incredible easy to become immersed in the lives of our children. Moms disappear every day. It doesn’t have to be that way.

How to Show Your Soul

Chase your calling: Don’t be afraid to say your dreams out loud. It’s a lesson in self-care for them to see you creating space for your beloved activities. Let them catch you investing blood, sweat and tears in something you can’t not do. I’m not suggesting neglect. I’m suggesting living with a bright and full heart in front of your kids. Share a sense of autonomy and fulfillment with your children.

Express Awe: It’s healthy for children to hear you sigh over something that takes your breath away. Let them in on your moments of grace, flow, heaven. Spend slow un-rushed time in nature. Tell them at bedtime what made you light up that day. Don’t feel compelled to say something they did. You are a separate being.

Comfort your children but move them spiritually as well. Show them awe, curiosity and wonder.

Tell Stories: Nothing creates solidarity and empathy like personal stories. My kids love hearing about how (poorly) I handled peer pressure as a girl in school. How my first kiss came to be. What I did at my grandparents’ house in the summer.

I read blog posts from other writers to my children if they move me and I feel their stories are compelling and offer a worthwhile message. Some of their themes- Be different, not better. Creating because you love the work, not the result. Failing is part of success. Sometimes the kids’ attention drifts, and that’s OK. I know I am asking for grown-up concentration. I also know seeds planted, bloom later.

Be Vulnerable: It’s true kids need structure and a sense that they can depend on you, but an efficient machine is hard to warm up to. Let down your guard. Admit mistakes. A friend’s therapist told her that people with perfect parents are the ones she worries about the most. They will never be able to live up to those standards. I lean toward the fallible side. My kids have seen me nervous, anxious, embarrassed and at the end of my rope. I am not proud of this. Like most people, I’d rather present myself as strong and capable but my soft center oozes out occasionally.

Benefits of Being Soulful

Empathy: In Born for Love, neuroscientist and child psychiatrist, Bruce Perry, argues that fostering empathy can combat the negative influences of modern life. We have learned to close ourselves off from the world with technology and busy-ness. Spending time with open hearts and minds can re-generate bonds that enhance resonance, universal meaning, love.

I want my kids to cherish relationships and respect others. I want them to see me as a being with feelings. How can they see anyone else’s soul if they’ve only seen their mother speed through life with a taskmaster’s mentality and a status-quo blueprint for life?

Natural/Unique Thinking: It’s easy to follow the mechanical parenting herd. Just keep checking off tasks. But going beyond and deeper than what the book or your neighbor says, gives kids a beautiful, almost secret,view of living. Possibilities abound. Sharing and honesty transfers to education. Learning becomes a natural, insightful way of relating to subjects. Thoughtful questions lead to understanding beyond book material. There’s a freedom and safety in knowing others exist on a deeper level. It makes it OK to explore and express as an individual.

Awakening: By revealing my humanity to my children I believe they will have an easier time discovering and honoring their own souls. Good and bad feelings of the heart will guide them rather than robotic reflexes.

Do you feel like you are living mechanically? How open are you with your kids? What messages are you sending them?

8 thoughts on “More Than a Mom-Droid:Letting Children See Your Soul”

I just spent 2 hours bingeing on your blog. Wow! Great writing and great insight on introversion. I will definitely be sharing this blog with others, introverts and extroverts alike. I especially think people in my life would gain a better sense of who I am just by reading your work. You have gained a dedicated reader by your honest and genuine reflection on the soul of an introvert. Much love…

beautiful…loved this post…I try each day to let my kids see the real me, and to be sure I see the “real” them too. As you said about planting seeds and the blooms will follow later…my teenagers have come through the not wanting to see me as human years ( so they can have their way with me and not feel too guilty? ) and I am starting to see the “bud opening” now….I will keep fertilizing for the full blossom one day!!! ( =

You are so right about seeing your children as the ‘real’ them as well. I know my expectations can be high but I sure do love when they share glimpses of their inner world with me.
I am now contemplating whether or not my teenage son chooses to not see me as human in order to make it easier to use me for his benefit. I never thought of that. He may just need to distance from me in order to feel independent but you may have a point too.
It sounds like there is hope for a full bloom at the end of all the planting and nurturing. You sound like an amazing mom.
Thanks, as always, Laura (one of my favorite names btw) for a thoughtful comment.

You nicely echo the necessity and tenderness of parent-child rapport in William Inge’s play “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs; Paul Zindel’s “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man in the Moon Marigolds”; and of course the landmark “The Glass Managerie” by Tennessee Williams. Your children are fortunate because you want to connect with them body and soul and not just play the part of mom. Share your literary heart with them like you do with us, you’re giving them a legacy. Three cheers for you. Bill

Sometimes it seems the kids would like me to just be a mom-bot. Doing things and spending money. It’s not easy to get them to appreciate a deeper kind of love. I’d like to blame technology and society – that would be easy. I’ll just keep believing that someday they’ll understand and appreciate my style. Thanks for your comment.:)

Brenda Knowles

Space2live's purpose is to enhance intimacy in your relationships and give you the confidence to be true to your nature.
Introverted, extroverted. Those that follow their head, those that follow their heart. Space2live is your safe space to evolve.
Renew from the inside here. You are not alone in your desire for less stimulation and more meaning. Space2live encourages you to slow down, pause and reflect on who you are and what you may become. Take the next step toward your highest self. Create space to LIVE.
Creating with You,
Brenda

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